Elizabeth from BowieConference (http://smarturl.it/BowieConFB) got in touch yesterday to tell us about a David Bowie Birthday Message Flashmob 2015 from Russian and Ukrainian fans.

The message takes the form of a delightful and touching five and a half minute film, populated by fans displaying personal messages to David, and it fairly brought a collective lump to the DBFBHQ throat.

To celebrate David Bowie’s 68th Birthday we have teamed up with Neil Cossar from This Day In Music to provide us with a story about Bowie back in the 60s from the This Day In Music website.

In September 1967, David Bowie released the single “Love You Till Tuesday” which failed to reach the charts. Not supprising really, have you ever heard “Love You Till Tuesday” on the radio? No, you never have, because it’s so bad, no-body would ever play it! It was the final release for the fresh faced singer on the Deram label – they decided to let him go.

Davy Jones had released a string of singles – the former singer with The Konrads and The King Bees had seen his debut single, “Liza Jane”, credited to Davie Jones and the King Bees, sink without trace. Then came “I Pity The Fool”, then another one, which no one can remember, and then his fifth unsuccessful single release, “Do Anything You Say”.

‘Maybe it’s my name’, he thought, dissatisfied with his stage name as Davy (and Davie) Jones, which in the mid-1960s invited confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees, Bowie then re-named himself after the 19th century American frontiersman Jim Bowie and the knife he had popularised.

So then came his April 1967 solo single, “The Laughing Gnome”, utilizing sped-up Chipmunk-style vocals. Now David him-self will admit, this was probably a mistake. Lets leave that one there.

Because of his lack of commercial success, Bowie was forced to try to earn a living in different ways. He featured in a Lyons Maid ice cream commercial, but was rejected for another by Kit Kat. Then intended as a vehicle to promote the singer, a 30-minute film featuring performances from his repertoire, “Love You till Tuesday”, was made.

Although not released until 1984, the filming sessions in January 1969 led to unexpected success when Bowie told the producers, “That film of yours—I’ve got a new song for it.” He then demoed the song that would provide his commercial breakthrough. “Space Oddity” was released later in the year to coincide with the first moon landing. “Space Oddity” was released on 11 July, 1969 five days ahead of the Apollo 11 launch, to become a UK top five hit.

Now that is a great song – about the launch of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut, (Bowie would later revisit his Major Tom character in the songs “Ashes to Ashes” and “Hallo Spaceboy”).

“Space Oddity” featured future Yes keyboard wizzard Rick Wakeman on Mellotron and piano, session man Herbie Flowers on bass and Bowie in fine singing voice, guitar, and stylophone. Yes stylophone a miniature stylus-operated synthesizer – if you’ve never seen one, it consisted of a metal keyboard played by touching it with a stylus, it was really a kids toy. Australian entertainer Rolf Harris had made it famous, but after Bowie cleverly utilised it on his first hit record, he ended up advertising the things. “As used by David Bowie”.

Anyway, my point here is that one of the most successful musicial talents of the past five decades got off to a sticky start. Most would’ve given up, loats did, but not our David. All of a sudden he came out with a whole bunch of brilliant tunes. His Hunky Dory from 1971 is in my opinion – a masterpiece, that still sounds as good today as it did in 71. “Kooks” from the album written about his newborn son, is one of this writers all time favorite songs.

Then he gave us Ziggy Stardust – dressed in a striking costume, his hair dyed red, Bowie launched his Ziggy with the Spiders from Mars. “Five Years”, “Moonage Daydream”, “Starman”, “Suffragette City”, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” – everyone’s a winner.

Davy Jones was on a roll, at this point in his career no one, especially Bowie knew were he was going.

And I’m so pleased he didn’t. I’m so pleased he never gave up, because after this, he just got better and made some of the greatest records of the past 50 years.

I’ll have to stop now and come back to this as a part II. I can’t possibly fit in the great mans career in one go!

David Bowie is the definitive rock star. I’m off to listen to “Kooks”.

In an interview with Russell Harty in 1973, David Bowie was asked what he thought of David Bowie. "I'm a collector. I collect personalities, ideas. I seem to draw a lot of fantasies out of people," Bowie said. He later spoke to Playboy in 1976 about his often questioned sexuality; "It's true -- I am a bisexual. But I can't deny that I've used that fact very well. I suppose it's the best thing that ever happened to me."

For over 48 years, Bowie has used his mystique, androgyny and unmistakable talent to catapult him to superstardom. Today, we're revisiting 10 classic tracks by the glam rock icon:

1. "Space Oddity" (1969)

"Can you hear me, Major Tom?"

In Bowie's first classic track, we feared for the life of fictional astronaut Major Tom on his mission to outer space. A rarity, the original music video for the track presents distinct variations from the widely recognized recording.

Upon its re-release as a single in 1972, the song peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. An updated video, directed by Mick Rock, accompanied it.

2. "Life on Mars?" (1971)

"The film is a saddening bore, for she's lived it ten times or more."

The song Bowie called "a sensitive young girl's reaction to the media" enjoyed success in the U.K. Two years after it was recorded, Mick Rock directed the infamous music video featuring Bowie wearing a turquoise suit and bright blue eye shadow.

3. "The Man Who Sold The World" (1970)

"We must have died alone, a long, long time ago."

In an interview with BBC Radio in 1997, Bowie explained what the song meant to him: "I wrote it because there was a part of myself that I was looking for. That song for me always exemplified how you feel when you're young, when there's a piece of yourself that you haven't really put together yet. You have this great need to find out who you really are."

Nirvana's Unplugged in New York cover not only introduced Bowie's track to a new generation -- it peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.

4. "John, I'm Only Dancing" (1972)

"She turns me on, but don't get me wrong. I'm only dancing"

When Bowie assured another man (a.k.a. John) he's "only dancing" with an attractive woman, it sparked controversy. The provocative music video featuring androgynous dancers "The Astronettes" was banned from British music chart TV show Top of the Pops.

"You've got your mother in a whirl, 'cause she's not sure if you're a boy or a girl."

Bowie's glam rock anthem celebrating rebellious (and cross-dressing) youth peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the music video, Bowie had the opportunity to show off his guitar skills, all while making pirate chic a thing.

7. "Fame" (1975)

"Is it any wonder, I reject you first?"

"Fame," which was co-written by John Lennon,was performed live on Soul Train in 1975 and peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 that same year. In 1990, it was remixed and re-released as "Fame 90" to promote Bowie's Sound+Vision tour.

As for Bowie's thoughts on fame: "It's quite a nasty, angry little song. The most you can say is that it gets you a seat in restaurants."

8. "Heroes" (1977)

"We can be heroes, just for one day."

Bowie's "very pretty love song" wasn't solely about lovers by the Berlin Wall. In an interview with Bill DeMain, he admitted that at the time "Heroes" was recorded, he wasn't allowed to talk about it. "Actually, it was [record producer] Tony Visconti and his girlfriend. Tony was married at the time. And I could never say who it was, but I can now say that the lovers were Tony and a German girl that he'd met whilst we were in Berlin. I did ask his permission if I could say that. It was that relationship which sort of motivated the song."

9. "Fashion" (1980)

"It's loud and tasteless and I've heard it before."

Bowie transitioned into the '80s by making his lack of fashion interest clear and snubbing slaves of style. His statement song peaked at No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

10. "Modern Love" (1983)

"Never gonna fall for modern love."

Bowie's catchy pop song about the struggle to find solace in love and religion peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Plus, the lyrics reference My Fair Lady, so that's cool.